Latest news with #DeborahMeaden
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Anger as Britain's most controversial allotment wins right to stay despite opposition from Chris Packham and Deborah Meaden
Britain's 'most controversial allotment' has won the right to stay where it is despite outrage from eco-celebs like Springwatch host Chris Packham and Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden. The site on the edge of Bristol has been labelled as the 'world's first no-dig allotment', but it received criticism from locals as well as the eco-conscious celebrities. 'No dig' means growers plant into topsoil which has been placed on top of the ground so no soil is dug up, broken or turned. It has been in a lengthy battle for Bath-based Roots Allotment two years after setting up on a field next to the A369 in Abbots Leigh in April 2023. Despite more than 3,400 people signing a petition against the site, which borders two Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), it was awarded retrospective planning permission for three parts of the 600-plot allotment field. Some claimed there had been a lack of consultation on the ecology of the land and concerns for local wildlife. Speaking when they first moved in, Dragons' Den's Meaden, who lives in Somerset, argued the site is 'very sad' for local wildlife and 'devastating' for the 'precious meadow habitat'. Taking to X on the allotment's opening day on September 18, she wrote: 'Butterfly numbers have crashed in the UK and Roots Allotments have taken 25 acres of precious meadow habitat, and celebrate with a party. It has been in a lengthy battle for Bath-based Roots Allotment two years after setting up on a field next to the A369 in Abbots Leigh in April 2023 'They could go (and) do much good in the right area but we can't keep taking from a nature who can't defend herself. Very sad.' Last May, Meadon backed the concept of Roots Allotment but argued it was using the wrong location. She wrote: 'Totally agree on farmed land and Farmers are absolutely going to be at the forefront of restoring Nature but that does not apply to already rich meadowland being bulldozed with alien soils being dumped on it. 'I love the concept of roots allotments but they need to choose their sites actually add and regenerate.' Naturalist and wildlife presenter Chris Packham TV wildlife also criticised the location and safety of the site, and took issue with the allotment company redeveloping 'species rich grassland with breeding skylarks'. Taking to Facebook in May last year, Packham wrote: 'Increasing access to green spaces is a must- and allotments are a great way to do that, and more. 'But when you're a venture capital-backed firm developing on species rich grassland, with breeding skylarks... you're in the wrong Roots Allotments. 'Avon and Somerset Police have ordered work to stop on part of the site due to breeding red-listed skylarks- great. But the whole project needs scrapping.' However, North Somerset Council's planning committee voted last week to finally award retrospective planning permission. The Roots Allotments team were given permission for two shipping containers in the field to be used as a tool shed and site office, CCTV cameras, an access track, gravel hardstanding and a sign on the main A369 road. Roots Allotment group says they are answering a 'much needed' allotment crisis and are providing an opportunity for people to sustainably grow their own food. One of the founders, Christian Samuel, said the group had 'flipped the script' - saying their allotments on the site were allegedly the only place where skylarks were feeding. He also added that their 'no dig' method had restored the soil and suppressed carbon into the ground. 'We believe this council has far more pressing issues to resolve than preventing people from growing vegetables in a sustainable manner,' Mr Samuel added. 'At the end of the day everyone, it is just vegetables.' But parish councillor Jenny Stoodley, who lives in Leigh Woods, disagreed. She said: 'The introduction of urban man-made structures such as cars, shipping containers and CCTV in this sensitive green belt location is exactly the kind of encroachment that greenbelt policy is intended to protect against.' Councillors on the planning committee eventually voted seven to three to approve the plans, and a separate planning application covering the sign for the site was approved. Some councillors were left 'disappointed' by the outcome - with Abbots Leigh Parish Council chair Simon Talbot-Ponsonby saying: 'Obviously we are disappointed because it's basically ruined that part of the green belt.' But Christian said the Roots Allotment team, as well as their members, were grateful for the decision. He added: 'There are so many people that need this space - and I'm glad that planning bills are going to come to an end.'
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Turtle art trail opens in London to raise marine conservation awareness
A trail of life-sized turtle sculptures has been placed around central London, to raise awareness of marine conservation Tusk Turtle Trail takes visitors to 16 locations, including Covent Garden, Carnaby Street, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and the top of The wildlife conservation charity Tusk has worked with a number of celebrities to design the street art installations, including Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and Dragons' Den dragons Deborah Meaden and Steven trail features stories that highlight the reasons why ocean conservation is needed. Meaden said: "We see wildlife on land, and it triggers emotion: it is visible, tangible, and easy to connect with."The ocean is too often out of mind, and yet it is the beating heart of our planet - the force that sustains all life forms."If the ocean dies, so does the planet. It's that simple, and that urgent." The trail's organisers described it as a "vibrant public art exhibition highlighting the urgent need to protect our oceans and endangered sea turtles".The sculptures will stay in place until September, before they are auctioned off through Tusk to raise funds for marine conservation.
Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The Government should be encouraging Britain's philanthropists
We're in the final week of Wimbledon and midway through the Lord's Test Match, but another event with less fanfare but great significance took place in London this week. The Giving and Impact Summit was held at the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday with the aim of promoting, celebrating and inspiring philanthropy in the UK. Speakers included leading donors such as John Caudwell, Fran Perrin and John Studzinski, as well as Government Minister Stephanie Peacock. As part of the Summit, Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and TV personality Robert Rinder 'closed' the market, bringing trading on the London market to an end on a day celebrating philanthropy in the UK. The Summit provides an opportune moment to reflect on the state of giving in the UK and what more we can do to enhance it. The UK is a very generous nation, with over £15 billion given to charity last year. Large-scale public campaigns such as those run by Comic Relief and Children in Need engage a broad section of the public. At the higher end, there are fantastic 'big givers'; the philanthropists who topped this year's Giving List compiled by CAF and published in May, Suneil Setiya and Greg Skinner (founders of Quadrature Capital) gave away a staggering £134.9 million each last year. The UK has a fantastic history of charitable giving. As the UK and the rest of Europe recovered from the Black Death (1347-1450), the volume of charity increased. In London the resources devoted to charity increased 50 per cent in real terms between 1573 and 1597. Philanthropists started looking for solutions to social problems, whether social housing, education or help to start businesses. One of the leading lights was Dick Whittington (c. 1354–1423), a four-time Lord Mayor of London, who used his fortune to fund a wide range of charitable and civic projects. He financed the rebuilding of the Guildhall, improvements to drainage systems in poor areas and helped to establish almshouses. Several hundred years later, the Victorian era saw the emergence of socially conscious businesses. The likes of Unilever provided housing to their workers and placed a premium on looking after them. Present day Britain boasts some extremely generous philanthropists. This is a mixture of 'old money' and 'new wealth' from sectors such as property and finance. Still, large charities are reliant on the same pool of donors. Well-established multi-generational families, such as the Westons, Woolfsons, Duffields and Rothschilds, still carry too much of the burden supporting many charities. At the same time, a disappointingly low proportion of the super-wealthy and high earners engage meaningfully in philanthropy. In new research published for the Summit, Pro Bono Economics found that between 2020-22 most donors among the UK's top 1 per cent of earners made relatively small charitable donations of only around 0.2 per cent of their gross income or £52 a month. Furthermore, the exodus of many millionaires from the UK, as a result of changes to the tax system, is likely to have a detrimental impact on philanthropy. To unlock the UK's philanthropic potential, a number of strategic interventions are required. First, a dedicated match fund for philanthropy could dramatically increase charitable giving. Evidence shows people are 84 per cent more likely to donate when match funding is available. The UK should expand successful models like the Big Give to create targeted match funds for priority sectors. The Covid-19 Support Fund demonstrated this potential, where £20 million in government funding from the DCMS Community Match fund successfully leveraged an additional £20 million from private donors. Second, Gift Aid represents enormous untapped potential, yet its complexity means £560 million in eligible tax relief goes unclaimed annually. Simplifying the claiming process and better promoting these incentives could unlock significant additional charitable funding while reducing administrative burden for donors and charities alike. Third, wealth advisers serve as crucial gatekeepers to substantial philanthropic potential, yet philanthropy advice remains inconsistent and fragmented across the sector. The wealth management industry should systematically equip advisers with the knowledge and tools to effectively discuss philanthropic opportunities with their clients. Finally, the UK needs a cultural shift in how it regards philanthropy. While American philanthropists are celebrated as social heroes, their British counterparts often face scepticism or criticism. Creating a more positive narrative around philanthropic leadership would encourage greater giving and recognise the vital role philanthropy plays in addressing social challenges. Despite recent changes to the tax system, the UK remains an attractive destination for many international investors and philanthropists. The Trump administration's changes in the US, and its cuts in funding for the aid sector, may persuade some US philanthropists to seek a new base for their operations, and the UK is well positioned to benefit. After a year in office, Keir Starmer's Government remains committed to its five missions, encompassing the economy, energy, the NHS, crime and opportunity for all. All of these areas could be enhanced by philanthropists working alongside the public and private sectors to improve the lives of all citizens. Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair once spoke of heralding a 'giving age.' With the right moves, the Government can strengthen philanthropy in the UK and help deliver on its missions.
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Investor Deborah Meaden At Wimbledon: No Net Zero Without Nature
Deborah Meaden in the Royal Box on day four of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England ... More Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Picture date: Thursday July 3, 2025. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images) 'Protect nature, and net zero kind of happens," was the message that renowned entrepreneur and investor Deborah Meaden shared during an environment-focussed session at the Wimbledon Championships yesterday. Meaden is known for her advocacy on sustainable investing and now only invests in organisations that both have a strong business case to be profitable, but also operate in someway to reduce planetary impact and create jobs. She shared her personal journey with nature, frustrations with current corporate approaches, and called businesses and sports leaders to action. In a climate discourse led by emissions targets and carbon accounting, Meaden wants nature to feature too. Deborah Meaden speaks during the environmental panel discussion event Nature Cannot Be Taken For Granted Just over half of global gross domestic profit or 58 trillion dollars, is moderately or highly dependent on nature. The Wimbledon environment session took place on day four of the grand slam, with climate and nature being front of mind, following the hottest opening day ever-recorded at the Championships. Extreme heat impacting both the performance and business of sport is something we are now seeing much more frequently. Nature has 'been so generous to us," Meaden shared. 'We're just sucking the life out of it and right now, we just need to pay it back a little bit.' Abbie Dewhurst, Deborah Meaden, Bear Grylls, and Rita Maria El Zaghloul take part in an ... More environmental panel discussion in the Parkside Suite in No.1 Court Meaden was joined on the panel by winner of The 2024 Earthshot Prize, director of High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Rita Maria El Zaghloul. Leading a coalition of countries calling for the protection of 30 percent of our land and ocean by 2030, she shared when talking with governments this isn't just an issue from an environmentalist perspective. 'It's really an issue that's it's across all the sectors, it's related to our food system, it's related to our economies.' This reflects thinking from other key business leaders. 'Today businesses treat nature as if it is free and unlimited. It is time for boards, under their director's duties, to dismiss current fake financial profits that take nature for granted," Earth on Board founder, Philippe Joubert recently told me. Sustainability Can't Sit in a Silo Meaden pulls no punches when it comes to corporate action, or inaction. While she sees promising work from startups who begin with sustainability at their core, she believes some businesses still treat sustainability as a side project. 'I don't believe a business is serious until I can walk into any department and they can explain what they're doing for the environment," she shared. 'Until sustainability is discussed in the boardroom, not as an 'any other business' item, I don't believe the business is serious,' she went on. 'In business, we make decisions all day. We need to slide nature into those filters.' What Has Nature Go To Do With Business and Sport? Business leaders and influencers came together to talk about nature at the tennis, but what has sport got to do with nature, environmental protection, investment and business? 'Sport has people's attention, you know, that's ultimately it, isn't it?' shared British adventurer, television presenter and former SAS trooper, Bear Grylls, who also spoke at the event. Wildflower bank on the Aorangi practice courts at Wimbledon 'If you care about the environment, you care about people. You, that's a solution the world needs, whether you're leading Wimbledon, whether we're leading our own lives, big businesses, inspiring young people, you know, I think it all comes back to leadership and the values we want to be known for in our lives.' Wimbledon Championships 'aspire to deliver a positive and sustainable impact on our economy, society and the environment in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.' This is evident to attendees of the grand slam through visible signage across the venue encouraging environmentally friendly-behaviours. Reusable cups and recycling areas are ubiquitous, 100 free water refill stations are available, living walls and wildflower and nature areas that attract pollinators abound. Used tennis balls made into art to absorb sounds in the cafe, and in the shops new products made from upcycled leftover merchandise from previous years is available, bringing the circular economy to revenue streams. The All England Lawn Tennis Club plan to expand their site to include bring qualifying to the famous SW19 postcode, by converting a private golf course to a green space of which half would be open to the public. Thas been met by some local opposition. For investors and corporate leaders, embedding nature into core business strategy isn't just ethical, it's economically essential. As global markets wake up to the financial risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, forward-looking companies are already shifting toward nature-positive investing and climate-resilient models. Deborah Meaden's headline take away of 'protect nature, and net zero kind of happens'highlights a growing understanding that natural capital underpins financial capital. Whether you're allocating assets or shaping strategy, climate and nature risk are business risks, and the organisations that recognise this now will be the ones leading tomorrow.
The Journal
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Famous faces spotted again today at Wimbledon as the sunshine returns
CELEBRITIES WERE BACK in the Royal Box today as Wimbledon bounced back from a rainy midweek spell with sunshine and a packed schedule on day four. Blue skies and 24C temperatures returned to the All England Club after a soggy Wednesday, with fans quick to swap ponchos for sunhats and take advantage of ideal conditions on court. Among the guests in the Royal Box today were adventurer and TV host Bear Grylls and actor Rory Kinnear, who starred in the Netflix series The Diplomat. Former Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and comedian Clive Anderson were also spotted taking in the action on Centre Court. Musician-turned-environmentalist Feargal Sharkey was seated alongside Dutch tennis legend Betty Stove, who turned 80 in April and famously reached three Wimbledon finals in 1977. Former Dragon's Den host Deborah Meaden soaked up the sunshine on centre court PA PA They were joined by a host of sporting figures including former England rugby coach Clive Woodward and English Olympic sprinter Donna Fraser. Today, the stars were there to see Novak Djokovic face off against British Dan Evans on Centre Court, before Iga Swiatek takes on American qualifier Caty McNally. Top seed Jannik Sinner took on Aleksandar Vukic of Australia on No 1 Court, followed by Mirra Andreeva's match against Italy's Lucia Bronzetti. Advertisement Later in the day, Maria Sakkari is scheduled to play 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, and British hope Jack Draper will face former US Open winner Marin Cilic. English actors Eddie Redmayne and Jason Isaacs Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Since the tournament kicked off on Monday, Wimbledon has been visited by a host of famous faces. On the opening day, former England footballer David Beckham sat alongside former England manager Gareth Southgate. Gareth Southgate and Jason Isaacs Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Also in the stands were English actor Eddie Redmayne and Jason Isaacs. And yesterday, Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl appeared to be having a great time as he watched the action. Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Oh and of course there have been plenty of sightings of members of the British royal family. Kate Middleton waves to the crowd at Wimbledon Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo With reporting from David Mac Redmond
